Trunk, chest, or the like.



W. H. SMITH.

TRUNK, CHEST, GR 'BHE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

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UNITED STATE PATENT @FFIQE.

WILLIAM H.

SILITH, OF ARLINGTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK B. MOTT, 6F GALESBURG, ILLINOIS.

TRUNK, CHEST, OR THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Arlington, in the county of Bureau and State of Illinois. have invented a new and useful Trunk, Chest, or the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to any such of the foregoing classes of devices as are used for containing clothing, tools or other articles or things.

It pertains particularly to device of the nature described, the lid of which is openable from either side, and which lid is also removable from the body portion.

Frequently an article or device of this nature is placed against a wall or partition with the lock side theretoward. If it be filled with heavy articles it is frequently difficult to turn it about in order to gain access thereto. I have sought in this invention to produce an article the lid of which may be opened from either of its sides, and in which the lid or cover is so secured to the body portion that it is readily removable therefrom. So constructed, when the trunk is placed close to a wall or partition, that side of the lid which is distant therefrom may be raised without the necessity of reversing it, (the trunk) as would have to be done in the case of a trunk having its lid hinged at one side only.

In order that the invention may be better understood I have appended hereto a sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective of the upper portion of a chest or trunk embodying my im provements; Fig. 2, a similar view, but seen from the opposite side; Fig. 3, an end view; and Fig. 4:, a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the lid or cover raised from the body portion and illustrating the manner in which the hinged wings operate.

In the drawings, in which the same reference numeral indicates the same part in the difierent figures thereof, 1 indicates that portion which, for convenience of description I will term the front, 2 the back, and 3 the ends of a trunk or chest, the lower part of which may be of any ordinary construction. A restingstrip 5 is fixed to extend longitudinally across the front portion of the trunk, and serves to prevent falling movement of a wing 7 secured by hinges 6 to a ledge extend- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 13, 1909.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Serial No. 517,533.

ing across the face of the front portion of the body, the wing being provided with a lock 8 and pins 9, the pins being preferably bifurcated as shown at Fig. 1 to more securely hold them in place. The shoulder on which the wing 7 rests and to which it is hinged, is provided by cutting away the upper and outer portion of the body. It will be evident, however, that the thicker portion of the body may be constructed as a casing for the inner and thinner portion or receptacle, which in such case might be construct ed of metal. The outer portion of the back is shown as having-been cut away to provide a ledge 10 which is provided with pins 11 similar to those above described. Mortised into the back 2 is a lock 12. Each end 3 is cut away at its rear upper portion to provide a track or way 4 for a purpose presently described.

1 1 indicates a lid or cover comprising a top portion 15 and a depending flange 16, the latter not extending along the rear edge of the 11C. The proximate lower edge of the portion 15 is provided with a centrally disposed keeper 16 which is adapted for engagement with the lock member 8. Apertures 17 are provided, one at either side of the keeper 16 and are adapted to receive the pins 9. Fixed on the under side of the portion 15 and pendent therefrom are curved guides 19 adapted to seat and move in the tracks 4 in an evident manner. To the rear lower edge of the portion 15 is hinged a wing 20 as indicated at 21, its lower edge being provided with a keeper 26 and with apertures 23 adapted to engage respectively the lock member 12 and pins 11. A facing-strip 27 of sheet metal extends throughout the length of and slightly below the lower edge of the wing 20, and prevents insertion of a tool into the space which it covers. The Wing 20 is provided with a tab 24-, and a similar tab 25 is secured to the front port-ion of the cover, whereby the suitable one thereof may be employed in raising that edge of the cover, or both may be employed in raising it from the body.

Assume the parts to be in the relative positions shown at Fig. 1, with the lock members 12 and 26 in engagement. The pins 11 will, by reason of their engagement with the apertures 23 hold the Wing 20 in vertical position, but the top portion 15 will be free to swing on the hinges 21. To then lock the lid it is only necessary to fold up the wing 7 and lower the front portion of the lid until the pins 9 engage the apertures 17, whereupon the lock members 8 and 16 may be engaged in the ordinary manner, by a key, not shown.

To openthe trunk to the position shown at Fig. 2 the key may be then turned in the lock member 12 to disengage its bolt from the keeper 16, whereupon the wing 7 may be swung upon its hinges, the lock 816-, however, preventing disengagement of the lid from the trunk body.

When it is desirable to remove the lid entirely from the body it is only necessary to disengage both locks and raise it vertically from the securing and alining pins. It will be noted that constructed as above described, none of the hinges project, but that each is so completely covered that it cannot become mutilated or broken in the rough treatment usually accorded such articles in shipment.

/Vhile I have herein specifically described the construction and relative arrangement of the several parts of my improvements, yet I do not desire to be considered as limiting my claim to such specific constructions, as such transpositions of parts and such minor changes and modifications may be made as fairly fall within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following, to-wit:

An article of the class described comprising a body portion provided with a ledge extending along its rront and a ledge along its rear sides and disposed near its upper portion, a wing hinged to one of said ledges and adapted to rest thereon in one position, a lock-member carried by said wing, a cover, a wing hinged thereto, its lower portion adapted to rest on the other of said ledges, a lock-member in said lower portion, a lockmember in said last recited ledge adapted for engagement with the one in the wing last recited, and a lock member in the cover adapted for engagement with the one disposed in that wing which is hinged to the body.

In witness whereof I hereunto atlix my signature at Arlington, in the county of Bureau and State of Illinois, this 21st day of July, 1909, in presence of two witnesses.

VVILLLXM H. SMITH.

\Vitnesses A. C. Herr, P. J. OASSIDY. 

